First step to reduce plant need for nitrogen fertilizer uncovered

Nitrogen fertilizer costs U.S. farmers approximately $8 billion each year, and excess fertilizer can find its way into rivers and streams, damaging the delicate water systems. Now, a discovery by a team of University of Missouri ...

An arms-race with mutual benefits

When you hear the word "mutations", you probably think of something negative like heritable diseases. But mutations also mean genetic diversity and are at the centre of evolution. Researchers have now uncovered a surprisingly ...

Getting to the root of the matter

(Phys.org) —Working to identify key genes in the root development of poplar trees, three Michigan Technological University scientists have come up with a new model for how genes interact and affect each other's function. ...

Self-fertilizing plants contribute to their own demise

Many plants are self-fertilizing, meaning they act as both mother and father to their own seeds. This strategy – known as selfing – guarantees reproduction but, over time, leads to reduced diversity and the accumulation ...

Perks of parasitic plants revealed

Parasitic plants, sworn enemy of many a farmer, can carry surprising benefits for wildlife, according to new research.

Study proposes new way to save Africa's beleaguered soils

A Washington State University researcher and colleagues make a case in the journal Nature for a new type of agriculture that could restore the beleaguered soils of Africa and help the continent feed itself in the coming decades.

Friends with benefits: Study finds insects aid in moss sex

(Phys.org) -- Researchers at Portland State University have discovered how mosses can use chemical cues to recruit small creatures to help with fertilization, via a process similar to pollination in flowering plants.

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